About the Embassy

Mission Overview

Suva, Fiji, is the most important commercial crossroads in the South Pacific. Located in Suva are the Pacific Islands Forum, the regional headquarters of the Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC), the region's applied geosciences organization (SOPAC), the University of the South Pacific (USP), a regional office of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), a regional office affiliated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and 16 diplomatic missions. The U.S. Embassy in Suva - which is accredited to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu - is ideally located to advance U.S. interests in the Pacific region.

The Pacific islands, and Fiji in particular, offer real potential for U.S. trade and investment, especially in tourism and the sale of consumer goods. One of Embassy Suva's top priorities is U.S. business promotion. We have a very active Commercial Section, which aggressively seeks to create trade links between U.S. and local companies in the region. This website is especially designed to further those links.

The Embassy's Consular Section offers a full range of American citizen and visa services for Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the French territories in the South Pacific: French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna. Providing those services in an efficient, courteous, and timely manner is a high mission priority.

The South Pacific, encompassing almost a third of the southern hemisphere, is of importance to U.S. policy, especially in relation to such diverse issues as open sea-lanes, fisheries and the marine environment.

As elsewhere in the world, the U.S. also observes and, where appropriate, attempts to positively influence human rights conditions in the region, emphasizing the benefits of democracy, transparent governance and the rule of law. The nations of the South Pacific play key roles in one-state-one-vote international fora, such as the U.N. General Assembly.

The U.S. has been pleased to work with them to achieve such common objectives as environmental conventions and renewal of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Fiji, in particular, contributes sizable contingents to U.N. and regional peacekeeping forces.

United States Defense Attaché/Security Assistance Office Suva coordinates Suva's Mission Performance Plan with the Pacific Command's Theater Engagement Plan for the Republic of Fiji, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru, Tuvalu and the Kingdom of Tonga. Engagement activities with Fiji were suspended in mid-2000 due to the undemocratic change of government. Activities with the Kingdom of Tonga consist primarily of ship visits, and medical, dental and engineering humanitarian assistance programs as well as military exercises with the Kingdom's defense forces. The office also administers Security Assistance programs to the Kingdom of Tonga, which provide funding for professional military development of selected officers and non-commissioned officers and attendance at USG hosted seminars and conferences.

The overarching intent of the defense programs is to enhance both the interoperability and capability of regional military forces with an emphasis on peacekeeping and maritime operations.

The Defense Attaché is also designated as the Commander in Chief Pacific's, Representative to New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna. In this capacity the office coordinates ship and aircraft visits to these territories.